Comparison

ChordFlow vs ChaosArp

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

ChordFlow

This app helps musicians quickly create chord progressions, arpeggios, and melodies for their songs. It allows for easy editing, arrangement of song sections, and export to DAWs as MIDI files.

Highlights
  • Create chord progressions with scale matching
  • Draw rhythmic arpeggio patterns
  • Compose melodies with scale and chord context
  • Build songs with multiple sections
  • Export to DAW as MIDI
  • Intuitive drag-and-drop editing
Read full description

ChordFlow is a songwriting sketchpad that will help you create amazing chord progressions and melodies for your songs fast and easily. HOW TO USE IT? 1. Create a chord progression. 2. Draw an arpeggio – a rythmic pattern for your chords. 3. Compose a melody. 4. Build a complete song adding more sections. 5. Save your song, share or export to your favourite DAW as a MIDI file. CHORD PROGRESSION - Create chord progression of any length using intuitive chord selector. - Select a scale of your chord progression. - The chord selector will show you which chords are matching the selected scale. - Move chords around within chord progression using drag and drop gestures. - Transpose the chord progression by rotating the key wheel (with the lock button unlocked). Or transpose the key of the scale while keeping the existing chords unchanged (with locked mode). - See the notes of the selected chord and how the relate to the notes of the chord before and the one after the selected. ARPEGGIO - When you draw the arpeggio you are not specifying absolute notes but relative steps of the chords. When played, the pattern will be translated to the absolute notes depending on the currently played chord. - Specify the length and rate of the arpeggio grid. Length defines the number of steps in the sequence and rate define the speed at which the sequence is played. - Add up to 4 tracks to your arpeggio grid. Each track has it’s color, octave and number of parallel voices. To edit a track you select it with the track selection button, and then choose the required tool. - Draw complex curves spanning several rows and columns of the arpeggio grid with just one move with Dots tool - Draw long horizontal lines with Line tool - Move entire track along the grid using the Move tool - Clear a region of the selected track with the Eraser tool - Remove the selected track entirely using the Trash button - Set Loop region to repeatedly play only the selected section of your arpeggio. - Adjust notes velocities MELODY - Create up to 4 melody tracks. - Melodies are edited in their own grid, which also has length and rate params as the arpeggio grid. - Select the root note and the scale for the melody grid. You can also show and hide non-scale notes using the “Chromatic” switch. - Melody grid features the same collection of drawing tool as the arpeggio grid does. - While drawing your melody you will see which chords correspond to the specific steps and also which notes of the grid match the notes of the chords. - You can also set a loop region as in the arpeggio grid view. - Undo/Redo aslo works the same way as in arpeggio grid. SONG STRUCTURE - A song can contain unlimited number of sections - Each section has its own chord progression, arpeggio and melody parts - Add, remove, reorder, rename and clone sections - Make quantized or immediate jumps between sections while playing. - Set a song loop mode. Loop one section. Loop entire song. Or play whole song once. CONNECTIVITY - Control any CoreMIDI compatible app - Control desktop synths through USB or Wi-Fi - Control hardware synths - Specify MIDI destination and channel for each track - Use ChordFlow as MIDI or Audio sender in Audiobus (http://audiob.us/) - Play in sync with other apps running on the same device or on other devices in same Wi-Fi network using a new technology, Ableton Link (http://www.ableton.com/link/) SHARE/EXPORT - Share your projects by AirDrop, Mail, Dropbox or any other app supporting sharing . - Export to Standard MIDI file and open it in the DAW of your choice(Ableton Live, Logic, GarageBand, etc. )

About

ChaosArp

This music app generates complex and dynamic MIDI patterns using advanced algorithms. It offers a unique rhythm event feature and variance control for extensive customization, allowing users to create evolving musical sequences.

Highlights
  • Arpeggiator and step sequencer modes
  • Rhythm event feature with 13 algorithms
  • Pitch and rhythm variance control
  • Scale quantizer
  • Randomizable velocity and duration
  • 4 performance buttons
Currently charting
Read full description

Introducing ChaosArp, the next-level MIDI arpeggiator/step sequencer designed to transform your musical ideas into intricate, dynamic patterns with a unique twist. ChaosArp is not just any arpeggiator; it's a powerhouse tool that uses the same advanced algorithms as LoAdKer to modulate pitch, rhythm, velocity, and duration, creating evolving, complex but high musical patterns that breathe life into your music. Dive into the heart of your creativity with ChaosArp's innovative ‘rhythm event’ feature, which allows you to explore a variety of rhythmic modifications. From repeaters to stretchers and rests for extra space and emphasis—ChaosArp has it all. Each one of these rhythm events can be assigned to any of the 6 available slots, offering limitless possibilities. Fine-tune your sonic exploration with the innovative ‘variance’ control - which goes one step beyond the simple ‘probability’ control that most arpeggiators have. Adjusting this setting for either pitch or rhythm (or both) will vary the character of the generated sequences, from fairly minimalistic to completely chaotic, thus opening up a world of endless variations. Elevate your music production today with ChaosArp and unleash patterns that inspire! Features: - Two modes: arpeggiator and stepper - 1-16 steps - Scale quantizer, never miss a note again! - Variable rate, from 1/128 to 4 beats - 3 arpeggiator modes (up, down, up/down) - 3 stepper modes (forward, backward, ping-pong) - 1 to 4 octaves range - Latch mode - Pitch randomizer with probability and variance control and random octave - Rhythm event selector with probability and variance control - 6 assignable rhythm event slots - 13 rhythm event algorithms, including repeaters, stretchers, and rests - Repeat, stretch, and repeat rest probability controls for further customization of the rhythm event algorithms - Randomizable velocity and duration with variable range - 4 performance buttons that temporarily override the probabilities of pitch, rhythm, velocity, and duration - Automatable parameters

Screenshots

ChordFlow4 screens
ChaosArp4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: ChaosArp at $3.99 against ChordFlow's $9.99. ChaosArp also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.6) and chart position (#183 vs unranked). ChordFlow's advantage is ratings volume (132 vs 9) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). On review sentiment, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

ChordFlow costs $9.99 and ChaosArp $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ChaosArp holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: ChordFlow has 132 ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of ChordFlow's written reviews are positive against 83% of ChaosArp's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ChordFlow ships an update monthly, ChaosArp every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 7, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
ChordFlow versus ChaosArp: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterChordFlowChaosArp
Price$9.99$3.99 — better
Rating4.6 (132 ratings)4.9 (9 ratings) — better
Positive reviews78.7% of reviews83.3% of reviews — better
Number of ratings132 — better9
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#183 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size73 MB17 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDmitrii KlochkovAchillefs Sourlas

Customer experience

ChordFlow

All ratings132 ratings
Positive90.2%
Neutral3.8%
Negative6.1%
Written reviews75 reviews
Positive78.7%
Neutral8.0%
Negative13.3%

ChaosArp

All ratings9 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews6 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative16.7%

Bugs and requests

ChordFlow

Reported bugs

13 issues
  • Sound stops working, gets staticky and fades
  • General audio delay on iPad
  • Chords won't sound
  • Melody thirds and sevenths do not adjust to sharp or flat notes
  • App falls out of sync with Ableton Link
Show 8 more
  • Ableton Link implementation not good, start phase misses often
  • App crashes (Audiobus)
  • No sound output
  • Unstable in Audiobus
  • Doesn't work on iPhone 7+
  • Occasional tone and volume inconsistencies
  • Arpeggio mode feels like trial and error, notes not visible
  • Unexpectedly closes on iPad Pro

Requested features

43 requests
  • Add small keyboard to chord section to show notes
  • Show arp triggered notes when playing
  • Send MIDI data when tapping chords
  • Alter main chords within arpeggio editor
  • Get some serious promotion
Show 38 more
  • Introductory material (tutorial, walkthrough)
  • Freemium model
  • Add MIDI clock
  • Ability to enter number of repetitions for each section
  • Load into AUM
  • BPM swing
  • AUV3 support
  • Swing parameter
  • Manual or guide
  • Audio recording
  • Ableton Link Start/Stop support
  • Basic drum machine sequencer
  • Allow melody to reach lower notes (bass line)
  • A few more sounds
  • Use voices in amounts similar to chord notes for arpeggiation
  • Portrait view on phone
  • Fix Ableton Link sync issues
  • Fix start phase misses in Ableton Link
  • Fix 3/4 time signature issues
  • Improve melody drawing (edge to edge)
  • Volume sliders should work during playback
  • Transpose melody to different octaves
  • Pinch zoom for small screens
  • More control over chords (inversions, common chords from scale)
  • Copy/paste function in note editor
  • Simple mixer for internal sounds
  • Chord suggestions function
  • Vertical mode for adding chords with a swipe
  • Random sequence function
  • Separate MIDI channels per color/track
  • Start/stop control for each track
  • MIDI clock input
  • MIDI input for modulating chords with a keyboard
  • Diatonic chords of certain scales
  • Improve UX for complex sequences (readable separators)
  • Copy function for melodies
  • Fix unexpected closing on iPad Pro
  • Ability to open/import own MIDI files

ChaosArp

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

ChordFlow

No in-app purchases

None

ChaosArp

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ChordFlow free?
ChordFlow costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ChaosArp free?
ChaosArp costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ChordFlow or ChaosArp?
ChaosArp is rated higher. ChordFlow averages 4.6 out of 5 from 132 ratings, while ChaosArp averages 4.9 from 9 ratings.
Do ChordFlow or ChaosArp have ads?
Neither ChordFlow nor ChaosArp shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ChordFlow or ChaosArp?
ChordFlow ships an update monthly, and ChaosArp every 2 weeks. Most recently, ChordFlow was updated on October 7, 2026 and ChaosArp on October 11, 2026.

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